US starts the big thaw with Indonesia

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The US President, George Bush, has signalled closer military
ties with Indonesia, despite the objections of human rights
activists, in a White House meeting with Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono.

"We want young officers from Indonesia coming to the United
States," Mr Bush said. "We want there to be exchanges between our
military corps - that will help lead to better understandings."

Mr Bush added that the Indonesian President had assured him he
was "in the process of reforming the military, and I believe
him".

Washington restricted military aid to Jakarta in the early 1990s
because of human rights abuses. Congress cut it off altogether in
1999 in protest at Indonesia's role in East Timor.

But the Bush Administration has been eager to restore military
ties with the country by resuming some "military-to-military
co-operation" and providing money for military and anti-terrorism
training.

After the meeting, a joint statement announced Indonesia would
receive $US400 million ($525 million) in US aid, nearly half the
sum pledged for post-tsunami aid.

Indonesia could play a key role in "helping us understand that
great religions should co-exist in a peaceful way", Mr Bush said.
Indonesia plans to send Islamic scholars to the US to promote
inter-faith dialogue.

■ The US closed all its diplomatic missions in Indonesia
until further notice yesterday because of an unspecified security
threat.

Australia's Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, said the threat
did not require similar Australian action, but Jakarta's police
chief, Firman Gani, said police had also reinforced security at the
embassies of Japan, Britain and Australia.